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UT Martin students visit Japan

The Jackson Sun
Published 4:33 p.m. CT Oct. 10, 2015

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Five senior students from the University of Tennessee at Martin traveled to Japan as part of an international experience with the Ned Ray McWherter Institute. Pictured at the base of Mt. Fuji are Maryanna McClure, an animal science major from Dyersburg; Caroline Parish, a political science major from Huntingdon; Chase Haynes, a chemistry major from Columbia; and John Sellers, a psychology student from Henderson. Not pictured is Summer Bradley, an art education major from Medina.(Photo: Submitted)

Five senior students from the University of Tennessee at Martin traveled to Japan on June 26-July 5 as part of an international experience with the Ned Ray McWherter Institute. Summer Bradley, an art education major from Medina; Chase Haynes, a chemistry major from Columbia; Maryanna McClure, an animal science major from Dyersburg; Caroline Parish, a political science major from Huntingdon; and John Sellers, a psychology student from Henderson, participated in the experience.

The McWherter Institute seeks to foster a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship among UT Martin students and residents of Northwest Tennessee, according to a news release. Students participate in travel opportunities through the institute to strengthen their ability to adapt to unfamiliar situations and widen their perspective of the global marketplace. This was the group’s first international trip, following a domestic experience in New York City in March.

“The overall purpose of the trip was to put us in situations which were unfamiliar and to teach us to overcome such obstacles. Every situation we were placed in was relatable to some type of business-related problem,” Haynes said.

While on the trip, the students were “expected to gain knowledge about how other countries, such as Japan, participate in business, how they use innovation in their daily lives and how our cultures differ,” Parish said. The students were able to visit significant tourist sites as well as meet with local business leaders and ambassadors, including Caroline Kennedy, U.S. ambassador to Japan.

“In our briefing with her (Kennedy), we were able to have one-on-one conversations to tell her about the McWherter Institute and what we as individuals are doing to impact the economic growth of West Tennessee,” Parish said.

“It was an honor to meet someone that represents our country at such a high level,” added McClure. “I enjoyed being able to represent the institute and our university to someone that represents such a historic family in our nation.”

The group also participated in a city-wide activity in Tokyo designed by trip leaders Tom Hyde, UT Martin alum and president of Mr. Japanese Bilingual Recruiters, and Ashton Jennings, UT Martin associate director of development.

The students were given a list of locations and specific items to find and photograph without the use of electronic resources. McClure recalls being surprised by the willingness of local citizens to help the students on their quest. “There were many bows of respect and everyone was willing to help, even if they didn’t speak English. …Two girls walked us from the train station to our destination, even though it was out of their way,” she said.

The group also climbed Mt. Fuji and attended a reception for UT Martin alumni living in Japan. Hyde estimates there are close to 2,000 alumni in the country, including those who participated in an international exchange program.

“This experience showed us as innovators that there are different ways to run things; there are different places to station businesses,” Bradley said. “The world is much bigger than West Tennessee. We now have connections halfway across the world.”

“International travel forces the curious student to see the world from a different perspective,” explained Hyde. “Whether it is from a cultural, political or even religious perspective, the ability to understand differences will enhance global awareness and ultimately lessen international conflict.”

Ten UT Martin students are selected each year to participate in the institute, which hopes to incorporate further international travel into the program’s curriculum. For more information about the institute or how to apply, contact Dr. Bob Smith, UT Martin interim chancellor and interim director, Ned Ray McWherter Institute, (731) 881-7500. Information is also available online at http://www.utm.edu/departments/nrmi/index.php.